1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to animal feeding systems, and more particularly to apparatus with which a domesticated animal can be fed individual food servings prepared in advance, at pre-selected feeding times that can be set either at the site of the apparatus or via an outside telephone line.
2. Description of the Known Art
Apparatus capable of dispensing animal feedings at predetermined intervals is generally known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,617,874 (Oct. 21, 1986) and 4,450,790 (May 29, 1984) show carousel-type food dispensers in which a circular cover with an arcuate cut opening is rotated through a motor drive to register the opening with each of a number of feed trays at selected times. The feeding times are preset by internal programming of the motor drives, and no provisions are made for altering of the preset feeding times from a remote location by way of, e.g., a telephone line interface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,702 issued Dec. 25, 1973, discloses an animal feeding and watering device in which the lowermost tray of a set of feed trays stacked one atop the other, is conveyed via a belt to an animal feeding position. The patent does not, however, show or suggest means by which operating parameters for the device such as the time for dispensing of each feed tray can be set via a decoding interface arrangement with an outside telephone line.